There are an enormous number of people who, for one reason or another, have a problem getting in and out of a bathtub because they find it difficult to get down to the sitting position and often even more difficult to get back up again. This difficulty, coupled with the slippery conditions in the bathtub, makes the operation extremely hazardous and, indeed, a great many accidents occur every year as a result.
With the aim of alleviating this problem, there have been prior devices and apparatus designed to help a person get in or out of a bathtub, and the present invention relates generally to such apparatus of the type comprising a hydraulic jack arranged to be anchored firmly in an upright position adjacent the bathtub, and a seat mounted on a carrier which is arranged to be raised and lowered in the bath by extension and retraction of the jack.